Lighting ships&#39; lifeboats and the like



July 10, 1928.

J. G. BLAIR LIGHTING SHIPS LIFEBOATS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 20, 1925IIII llvlllll! III... -l I I|II|||||| ||||I 0 rllllllllllllllll II llllllvlillll lllllllllllL Patented July 10, 1928.

JOHN GLAS BLAIR, OF POZE'LAR, ENGLAND.

LIGHTING SHIPS LIFEBOATS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed September 20,1923, Serial No. 663,875, and in GreatBritain September .23, 1922.

This invention relates to the lighting of ships lifeboats and the like.lifeboats are launched or lowered into the water at night, theconditions are generally such that confusion is likely to arise andoften the ordinary hand oil lamps which are intended to be carried arenot used or cannot be used, so that frequently the lifeboat uponentering the water cannot be seen by persons who may bein the water inthe vicinity of the lifeboat, with the result that many persons aredrowned or forced to be in the water for a considerable time; suchhappenings would probablybe avoided if the lifeboat were satisfactorilyilluminated; Further, a lifeboat having no means, of illumination may beafloat for some consider: able time with very little chance of beingobserved at night by passing ships or boats. The main object of thepresent invention is to render conditions much more favourable for lifesaving in the event of ship wrecks or disasters at night and also toincrease the possibility of ships lifeboats being observed by passingships during the night.

According to this invention, 1 provide an electrical lighting set oroutfit for a ships lifeboat, of such a character that illumination ofthe lifeboat equipped with the lighting set or outfit can beautomatically effected upon the lifeboat being launched or entering thewater. In addition to this automatic control or operation means areprovided whereby the current supply to the lamp or lamps from batteriesor the like can be controlled by hand so that unnecessary or unrequiredillumination or lighting of the lamp or lamps is avoided therebyenabling the current to be conserved in case it is eventually requiredfor illuminating purposes. The automatic control or operation ispreferably effected by means of a float operated switch which can beactuated when the lifeboat entersthe water to allow current to besupplied to the lamp or lamps. Means may be provided for rendering thefloat inoperative so that the supply of current to the lamp may becontrolled by hand actuated means. This dual control may be effected inmany ways and the set or outfit according to a preferred form comprisesan incandescent electric lamp or lamps, a'battery or other source ofcurrent supply, a float operated switch, hand operated means forrendering the same operative or inoperative When ships 7 and anindependent hand operatedswitch for controlling the supply of current tothe lamp when the float operated switch is 'inoperative. These parts areso wired or connected, that the set or outfit can be readily applied toor arranged on a ships lifeboat and if the latter be launched at nightthe float switch comes into operation onthe boat entering the water soas to enable the lamp to be supplied with current, the illumination thusprovided enabling the position of the boat to. be observed by persons inimmediate surroundings. So long as the lifeboat is afloat during thedark the current supply to the lamp can be maintained by the floatswitch so that the position of the illuminated lifeboat can be observedby passing ships; if the boat should be afloat during daylight, thefloat switch can be rendered inoperative by the hand operated meansassociated therewith so as to cut off the supply of current to the lampand thus conserve the current, in case it is required for illuminationat night, when the current canbe switched onto the lamp by theindependent hand switch. The hand switch affords a simple control whenthe boat switch is not in operation and may be used for signallingpurposes by switching the light on and off at intervals. By reason ofthe hand control in addition to the autoll'ltltlCCOIltlOl the floatswitch can be renderedinoperative ifthe lifeboat is launched duringdaylight so as to avoid unnecessary illumination and consumption ofcurrent.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood andreadily carriedinto effect the same will now be described more fully therewith forrendering this switch operati ve' orinoperative. Figure 3 is a generalView or diagram showing the float operated switch, a battery, a lamp, anindependent hand switch andthe electrical connections.

The float A which may be in the form of a hollow cylindrical buoyantbody'of copper or other light metal or may be made of cork or the likeis longitudinally movable in a surrounding tube B fixed at its upper endto a box or casing C the lower end of the lOU V boat or the like.

mounted outside the boat but if desired it p the rod'A on the. floatv A.

tube B being open and provided with a pin or gauze covering for,retaining the float in the tube while allowing access of water to thetube for raising the float. The float A at its upper end carries-a, redA which projects into the box C and adapted, when the float is raised,to come'i l-to Contact with a switch lever D pivoted on a bracket Ewhich is mounted; on platform F lined in the box C. The switch lever Don one side of its pivot is adapted to bemoved into engagement withterminals or contacts (l which are connected by conductors l to abattery or SlCClll-l lll'l-tlil-Ul'Ill. a lamp J and a hand switch K, asshown in Figure 23. The lamp J is mounted in a glass cover'or hoodandadapted to be placed in a prominent posit on on the lifeboat or. thelike and the saidbattcryand hand switch .li are mounted inconvenientpositions in the life- The float switch may be may be mounted insidewith the lower end of the tube projecting into or through a suitableopening in the bottom of the boat. The electrical connections are su'chthat when the float A is raised by contact with the water andmoves theswitch lever D into engagement with the contacts or terminals G,thecurrent is supplied from the battery L to the lamp J for illuminatingthe lifeboat. In order to render the float switch inoperative, adisconnecting lever H pivoted in. the; box C is formed with a projectionM than can engage with the upper end of The lever H also has aprojection l adapted to engage with the endof the lever D that isengaged by the float. rod- A A handleO provided for actuating the leverH and moving the projections M- and N into or out of engagement with thefloat rod Aland the switch leverD respectively, and the said handle maybe locked in a depressed position byslipping a flattened portion on: thehandle stem or rod into a slot in the upper part of the box G, formaintaining the switch lever D and the-float A m inopera tive position"lVhenthe Heat operated switclreis rendered inoperative, the illuminationor lighting of the lamp J "canb'e controlledby. the handactuated switchK whichmay be of any suitable construction so toel'ectrieally connectthe conductors I leading to the terminals ofthis switchfor enabling thecurrent to be supplied from the battery L to the lamp J, o By actuatingthe switch Ktobreakv this connection the current prevented from flmvingto the lamp owing. to they float switch bein renderedjinoperative by thelever H and locking han- (llG l I Normally the float switch is notheldin the inoperative position so that it is always ready for operation. Ifthe lifeboat has v or by pas ng Ships" to be lowered from the ship intothe water at night the floatrr in thetube B willberaised by the pressureof the water, so that the rod A comes into contact with the switchLlever D andmoves, the latter into engage ment with" the terminals orcontacts thus allowing the current to flow from the battery L to thelamp J. The illumination of the lifeboat th-us automatically effectedand enables the lifeboat to be readily located by persons in immediatesurrounding I-f thelife is afloat during daylight, the float s tch canberendered inoperative by the 'i-ever If and the handle 0 ashereinli'efore described and as the other switch K can also be'placed inan inoperative position the current is prevented from flowing to thelamps so that current can be conserved in case it'isrequiredfor lightingthe lamp at night when illumination can be effected through the handswitch k. If the lifeboat should be lowered in daylight or whenilluminatiz-m is not essential, 'the float switch can be re: il renderedinoperative as aforesaid, p i to launching and'i-f illumination isrequii-cd later it can readily be'effected througl i the hand switch K.By means ofthe hand controlling switch K the illuminating means may beused for signalling purposes by switching the light on and off atintervals What I claim anddesire to secure by Let'- ters Patent of theUnitedStates is:--

1. An electrical lighting apparatus for-a ships lifeboat comprising afloat, a switch operated thereby when it enters the/water, a lampcircuit controlled by said switch, a lamp in said circuit, means wherebythe fi e-at canbe rendered inoperative, and'hand operated means forcontrolling the lamp circuit when the iioat is inoperative.

2. An electrical-lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat con'ipi-ising afloat, a switch operated thereby when-itenters the water, a. lampcircuit controlled by said switch, a lamp in said circuit, means forholding the float '7 against movement to render the said switchinoperative and an independent hand actuated switchfor controlling thelamp circuit.

An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprisinga floatenclosed in a tube to which water has access, a pivoted switch memberabove said tube and operated by the float, al'amp circuit controlled bysaid switch member, hand ai'rtuated means for preventingthe operation ofthe said switch member, and an independent switch for controlling thelamp circuit.

4:; An electrical lighting apparat for a ships lifeboat comprising afloat, a switch member operated by said float, a lamp circuit controlledby said switch, a battery, illaminating means in said lamp circuit, ahand operated lever for controllingthesa-id switch member and renderingsaid float inoperative, and an independent switch for controlling thelamp circuit.

5. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprising afloat vertically movable in a surrounding tube which is open at itslower end and provided with retaining means for said float, a casing atthe upper end of said tube above the water level, a pivoted switchmomberin said casing adapted to be operated by upward movement of said floatand hand actuated means for controlling or operating .said switchmember.

6. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprising avertically movable float rod, a tube surrounding said float rod and openat its lower end, a casing on said tube, into which the float rodprojects, a PlYOiJGd SWltClI member in said casing adapted to berendered operative by upward movement of said float rod, and a handoperative device for rendering said switch member in operative and forholding the float rod against upward movement.

7. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprising avertically movable float rod, an open ended tube surrounding said rodand having retaining means for said. float, a casing at the upper end ofsaid tube, apivoted switch member in said casing adapted to be renderedoperative'by said float rod, a depressible hand operated deviceprojecting through said casing and having a switch engaging member and afloat engaging member, and means for enabling said hand device whendepressed to be locked so that the switch engaging member and the floatengaging member hold the switch lever and the float inoperative.

8. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprising afloat, a tube surrounding said float, a casing at the upper end of saidtube, a switch member in said casing adapted to be rendered operative bysaid float, a lamp circuit controlled by said switch, a battery, a lampin said circuit, a hand operated switch, connections from the batteryand lamp to said hand switch, and means whereby the float actuatedswitch can be rendered inoperative so that current to the lamp may becontrolled by said hand operated switch.

9. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprising afloat, a tube surrounding said float, a casing at the upper end of saidtube, a pivoted switch member in said casing, contacts engaged by saidswitch member when the float is raised, a battery, a lamp, connectionsfrom said contacts to said battery and lamp, a hand device for movingand holding said switch member out of engagement with said contacts, amanually operable switch connected to said battery and said lamp andarranged to light the lamp when the float switch is inoperative.

10. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat, comprising afloat, a tube surrounding the same, a casing on said tube, a switch insaid casing and adapted to be actuated by said float, a protected lamp,a battery, connections from said battery to said switch and lamp, anindependent hand switch, connections therefrom to the lamp and battery,and hand actuated means for rendering the float operated switchinoperative so that current to the lamp can be controlled by said handswitch.

11. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprising afloat, an open ended tube surrounding and having retaining means forsaid float, a casing on said tube, a pivoted switch lever in saidcasing, contacts engaged by said switch lever When the latter is engagedby the float, a hand operated rod projecting into said casing forrendering the said switch lever and float inoperative, a lamp having aglass cover, a battery, connections from said battery and lamp to thesaid switch lever contacts, a hand operated switch, connectionstherefrom to the battery and lamp whereby current to the lamp can becontrolled by the hand switch when the float actuated switch is renderedinoperative.

12. An electrical lighting apparatus for a ships lifeboat comprisingilluminating means, means supplying current to said illuminating means,a combined float and hand controlled switch, and an independent handactuated switch for controlling said illuminating means.

13. An electrical lighting apparatus for a lifeboat comprising a lamp, amovable menu ber, means for automatically causing the movable member tolight the lamp when the lifeboat enters the water, and manually operablemeans associated with said movable member for rendering the latterinoperative.

14. An electrical lighting apparatus for a lifeboat comprising a tubeopen at its lower end, a casing connected to the upper extremity of saidtube, a float movable in said tube and having a portion thereofextending into said casing, and a switch in said casing nor mallyinoperative but adapted to be rendered operative by upward movement ofsaid float.

; JOHN GLASS BLAIR.

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